ANTONIO’S TAGAYTAY: Celebrating Your Best Moments in the Best Restaurant in the Philippines :)

ANTONIO’S Tagaytay is considered by most foodies as the #1 Restaurant in the Philippines. The Miele Guide lists it as one of the Top 20 Best Restaurants in Asia. It’s still our personal favorite and nothing beats an Antonio’s Dining experience. 🙂

We were recently at Antonio’s to celebrate Momsy’s 72nd Birthday and here are our latest discoveries and tips…

Related Post:  BREAKFAST at ANTONIO’S: Welcoming 2013 with a Yummy Bang along the Ridge!

Antonio’s is strictly by reservation and they open for dinner at exactly 5.30pm.

They follow a strict Smart Casual dress code for everyone, even for kids. Slippers, open-toed sandals, shirts without collar, shorts, tank tops, and Crocs are all not allowed.

As you enter, you’ll be greeted by the colorful lobby that changes in theme throughout the year.

Its romantic-chic, fine dining ambiance is the best backdrop to celebrating the best moments in life.

We personally like the main dining area located in the upper section, beside the kitchen.

We would often request for a corner spot near the windows for added privacy.

If you need more privacy and breathing space, the lower mezzanine area is best for you.

One of the highlights when dining in Antonio’s is the clean & green restroom.

It’s like relieving yourself in the midst of nature.

You can go down to the grand staircase which leads to the wide, high-ceiling dining area.

This is usually where big group gatherings or corporate meetings are held.

You can request for a long table setup near the windows.

This is another private dining area in the lower level and gets used when the restaurant is full.

Momsy turned 72 last September 25. She’s been blessed with good health over the years.

 
Freshly-baked complimentary bread with butter is served, which is an instant hit with the kids.

✮ Raclette Cheese

You can order an appetizer of melted raclette cheese, which pairs well with the bread…

… or a serving of their Mushroom Appetizer.

Chef Tonyboy Escalante usually greets the guests at their tables personally, and welcomes them to his resto.

(Make sure to take a photo at this point. It’s harder to get another chance once he moves to the other guests’ tables.)

(Click here for a bigger, close up view of the Antonio’s Tagaytay Menu)

Antonio’s Tagaytay Menu: Antonio’s Set & Ala Carte Menu | Drinks Menu | Desserts Menu

You order a Main Entree that usually comes in a set, which includes House Salad, Soup of the Day, Dessert, and Coffee or Tea. The price of the set menu is determined by the price of the entree.

Soup of the Day: Tomato Broth with Coriander Seafood Dumpling

The soup changes depending on the available fresh ingredients. I like this soup, hot and light with the seafood dumpling as a palate teaser.

Make sure to check out his collection of wine bottles. 🙂

Antonio’s Organic Mesclun Salad, Bleu d’ Auvegne crumbled, Glazed Walnuts, Dried Currants & Cranberries with Raspberry Vinaigrette, drizzled with Basil Oil

The set menu comes with a fresh mesclun salad with ingredients sourced from their own farm.

✮ Pan Seared Duck Liver Glazed with Honey Peppercorn (P550  +10% service charge)

You can upgrade the salad and my favorite is adding a bit of Foie Gras, or…

✮ Arugula Salad, Sun-Dried Tomato, Gorgonzola & Glazed Walnuts Drizzled with Balsamic Dressing (P250 +10% service charge)

…bits of arugula, cheese, and nuts.

Carbonara (P700 +10% service charge)

We ordered Carbonara for the kids. It was extra creamy, with flavorful bits of chicken, and with the pasta cooked al dente. We had to order extra toasted bread to wipe the sauce clean. 🙂

Meet our youngest son Raphael giving a toast to Lolo Popsy. 🙂

 
Green Mango Sorbet

The green mango sorbet is refreshing and does a good job of cleansing the palate before the main meal is served.

We usually order drinks for the kids last so they don’t get full easily. But we can’t resist Antonio’s signature Freshly Squeezed Dalandan Juice.

✮ Freshly Squeezed Dalandan Juice (1 Karaf – P600 +10% service charge)

It was the right balance of sweetness and citrus taste. 🙂 The karaf was good enough for the family. 

The main entrees are served all at the same time (after 2 hours from the time we arrived).

Here’s one for our photo collection of Manila’s Great Chefs — Chef Tony Boy with the 3 boys. 🙂

Grilled Visayas Sole drizzled with Olive Oil, Parsley, Lemon & Chili Crushed Boiled Potato (P1,650 +10% service charge)

My mom loves this fresh visayas sole, cooked just right for the healthy eaters.

✮ Seafood Sampler Trio (P1,650 +10% service charge): #1 – Steamed Chilean Sea Bass with Gratin Potato, Fish Caper Veloute

The Seafood Sampler Trio is one of the dishes I would recommend because you get to taste Chef Tonyboy’s creations in manageable sizes. The sea bass was so smooth, juicy, and creamy. 

✮ Seafood Sampler Trio (P1,650 +10% service charge): #2 – Prawn & Scallop Thermidor

Flavorful prawn with a good bite, paired with scallop.

✮ Seafood Sampler Trio (P1,650 +10% service charge): #3 – Pan Seared Scallop on Mash Potato, and Truffle Cream Sauce.

This is the best for me — juicy scallop grilled on both ends with truffle cream sauce, and creamy mash potato.

Lamb Kopta with Saffron Tomato Rice Pilaf, Cucumber Raita (P1,600 +10% service charge)

This is a generous size of lamb cooked medium and good to share. It’s nice that this one is paired with rice. Go for this if you are looking for great value for your money. 

Raphael was eager to share his Birthday card to Lola Momsy. 

✮ Antonio’s Trio (P2,200 +10% service charge): #1 – Grilled Beef Fillet Gratinated with Cepes-Morel, Black Truffle, Mashed Potato

The Antonio’s Trio is a combination of the restaurant’s best meat dishes. You can order full servings of each, but the trio size is just enough to sample a little bit of everything.

We love this classic combo: beef – mushroom – truffle – mashed potato.

✮ Antonio’s Trio (P2,200 +10% service charge): #2 – Beef Fillet Plancha topped with Seared Foie Gras, Gratin Potato, with Port Wine Sauce.

Antonio’s was the first to introduce us to the wonderful flavor of foie gras. They cook it so well that it melts in your mouth. Most people order this to satisfy their beef-foie gras craving. 

✮ Antonio’s Trio (P2,200 +10% service charge): #3 – Honey Glazed Lamb Loin Gratinated with Goat Cheese

Aside from beef, you can have a piece of lamb with sweet honey glazed sauce. 

✮ Duo of French Poultry Roasted Duck Breast & Squab, Mixed Berries in Red Wine Jus & Confit Potato on Duck Fat with Pan Seared Foie Gras (P2,300 +10% service charge)

My lastest discovery in Antonio’s is this dish with slices of duck breast and squab (young domestic pigeon), topped with foie gras with a sweet berry, red wine sauce.

Loved savoring each slice of duck breast and pairing it with the foie gras. It’s a bit too rich since even the potatoes are cooked in duck fat. 

The squab was really good too and offered a different texture of meat and flavor. Nicely done!

Here’s Joshua’s birthday card creation for Lola Momsy. 🙂

Before dessert, we ordered Silver Moon green tea and aromatic Grand Wedding black tea from TWG. 

SILVER MOON TEA. A green tea combined with a grand fruit and vanilla bouquet, suave, with just a hint of sweetness. A tea for that special moment.

GRAND WEDDING. A festive tea to celebrate life’s momentous occasions, this black tea is scented with white flowers and blended with a breathtaking aroma of exotic fruits.

The tea comes in hand sewn 100% cotton tea bags served with proper hot water (not boiling temperature).

Note: Coffee or Tea comes with the set menu. 

✮ Panna Cotta with Honeycomb Caramelo

I like the idea of the smooth panna cotta with honey comb texture and the right balance of sweetness.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This is another classic and a really good chocolate cake dessert.

Flaming Flourless Chocolate Cake

For the birthday celebrant, she got this in flaming fashion.

✮ Berries & Cream Ice Cream served in Almond Meringue Basket

We love this and this is the best dessert for us. 🙂 It’s like eating actual berries and strawberry flavors but in icy form, paired with sweet meringue crumbs.

(Note: This was created in partnership with Ian Carandang of Sebastian’s Ice Cream)

Aidan finally gave his birthday card which is a big card with his own birthday message for Lola (and a reminder to buy him some toys).

Felchlin Maracaibo Chocolate Terrine with Double Cream & Roasted Pistachio

This was also good. Chocolate served in a pate loaf style.

 
Passion Fruit Pavlova

This was OK too, but we had better Pavlova by Sylvia Miguel.

✮ Dark Chocolate Souffle with Cardamom Creame Anglaise

Dessert at Antonio’s is never complete without his classic Dark Chocolate Souffle. 🙂 

The dinner ends at around 10:00pm, so allot about 3.5 hours for the overall dining experience.

Antonio’s has been consistently good all these years and if Michelin was in Manila, this would be the first one to be rated. 🙂 

The menu hasn’t changed that much and you can still order the classic food you love, especially the foie gras in your salad and the meat entrees. I also like that they’re already sourcing some of their ingredients from their own organic farm and the neighboring farms in Tagaytay.

I love the new additions in the menu, like the Duo of French Poultry Roasted Duck Breast & Squab and Berries & Cream Ice Cream for dessert. 

I also still really enjoy the classic romantic feel of the place and the sincere and warm Filipino service.

Budget is around P2,250/head + drinks, which was our average bill (less senior citizens’ discount).

This is indeed the best place to celebrate those special people and moments in your life!

ANTONIO’S TAGAYTAY
Purok 138, Barangay Neogan, Tagaytay City, Batangas, Philippines
Mobile Number:  +63 (917) 899.2866 or +63 (918) 899.2866
Email: reservations@antoniosrestaurant.ph
Website: http://antoniosrestaurant.ph
Facebook: Antonio’s

Operating Hours: 
Tuesdays to Sundays: Lunch: 11.00am to 3.00pm | Dinner 5.30pm to 9.00pm 
(Absolutely closed on Mondays)

Note: Strictly By Reservation Only. All Major Credit Cards Accepted.

Strict Dress Code:  SMART CASUAL DRESS CODE

(Slippers in any form, t-shirt without collar, shorts in any form for both men & women, tanktops and open toed sandals, crocs for men are strictly not allowed) 

✮ – Our Favorites 🙂

Related Blog Posts:

• ANTONIO’S TAGAYTAY: Celebrating Your Best Birthday in the Best Restaurant in the Philippines 🙂
• World Urbanista | Dining at Antonio’s Tagaytay, the Best Restaurant in the Philippines!
• BREAKFAST at ANTONIO’S: Welcoming 2013 with a Yummy Bang along the Ridge!
• Nothing beats an Antonio’s Dinner @ Tagaytay!

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P.S. Tagaytay City, 1 October 2013 – In the month of October, the Antonio’s Group will be doing its part toward building a better nation. For every guest who visits either Antonio’s or Breakfast at Antonio’s, the Antonio’s Group will make a donation on their guests behalf to Teach for the Philippines. 

“After so many years in the restaurant industry, I believe that this is the right time and opportunity to give back to the community and the country that has given me and my restaurant family so much.” says Antonio ‘Tonyboy’ Escalante, chef and owner of The Antonio’s Group. Chef Escalante goes further and adds, “Because we consider education a key element to building a better nation, we support Teach for the Philippines as a positive force toward reaching that goal.”

Established in 2012, Teach for the Philippines works towards the vision that one day, all Filipino children will have access to an excellent education.

RECRUITING PROMISING INDIVIDUALS TO TEACH. Teach for the Philippines recruits top graduates and young professionals to teach in public schools full-time for two years. 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS’ LIVES. Placed in the nation’s most underserved schools, Fellows respond to the public education system’s resource gaps, particularly the severe shortage of teachers. In doing so, they act as both mentors and instructors to public school students by inspiring them to aim for ambitious personal goals and by equipping them with the proper skills needed to achieve these goals. 

EMPOWERING FUTURE LEADERS TO DRIVE CHANGE. Through our training program and the immersion in public schools, we equip Fellows with insights into the root causes of education inequity and give them the tools to begin addressing this issue. Upon completion of the program, our Alumni pathways set Fellows on career paths where they can best realize their continued commitment to an education reform agenda, inside or outside the classroom. 

TRANSFORMING THE COUNTRY. Teach for the Philippines is about nation building. Given the strong correlation between a country’s development and its investment in education, we strive to build the foundations for a stronger economy and a more vibrant democracy.

Clarissa Delgado, COO of Teach for the Philippines says,“We are delighted and deeply grateful for the opportunity to be the beneficiaries of Chef Tonyboy and the Antonio’s Group. Nation building does indeed take a nation. The Teach for the Philippines team gets its energy and inspiration knowing that Filipinos from all over and from all professions are committed to a social development agenda and building our country through education.” 

For more information regarding The Antonio’s Group and Teach for the Philippines, visit their websites at www.antoniosrestaurant.ph and www.teachforthephilippines.org respectively.